It's everybody's birthday! No, seriously. Taurus Matt Yglesias is joined by two people who also share a May 18th birthday: Vox's Libby Nelson and The Atlantic's Derek Thompson. They discuss the confusing range of public health and policy directives that have been issued to the American people over the 15+ months of the Covid pandemic. Plus, some research is discussed that evaluates the outcome of the recent rollout of universal preschool in Boston. Resources: "The CDC's Big Mask Surprise Came Out of Nowhere" by Derek Thompson (May 14, The Atlantic) "The CDC Is Still Repeating Its Mistakes" by Zeynep Tufekci (Apr. 28, The Atlantic) "Are Outdoor Mask Mandates Still Necessary?" by Derek Thompson (Apr. 19, The Atlantic) White paper Hosts: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.com Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson), Deputy Policy Editor, Vox Derek Thompson (@DKThomp), Staff writer, The Atlantic Credits: Erikk Geannikis, Editor and Producer As the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter. The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production. Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Follow Us: Vox.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices